ALASKA

Want to see brown bears? Most cruises start in Seattle or Vancouver, which means a day at sea cruising the beautiful Inside Passage. This string of islands and forested coastline stretches from Washington State via British Columbia to Alaska, and if you keep your eyes on the shore you may glimpse bears foraging on the beaches.

You’re pretty well guaranteed to see whales and dolphins from the ship, and once in Alaska proper, wildlife sightings could also include frolicking sea otters and the majestic bald eagle (which isn’t bald at all, but black with a white head).